Despite symptom severity, do nursing home residents experience joy-of-life? The associations between joy-of-life and symptom severity in Norwegian nursing home residents

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Associations between nurse–patient interaction and sense of coherence among cognitively intact nursing home residents

Aim: To investigate the association between nurse–patient interaction and sense of coherence among cognitively intact nursing home residents. Method: In a cross-sectional design, data were collected in 2017 and 2018 using the Nurse–Patient Interaction Scale (NPIS) and the 13-item Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC-13). Of the 204 cognitively intact nursing home residents who met the inclusion criteria, 188 (92%) participated, representing 27 nursing homes. Multiple regression in a general linear model estimated the possible effects of the 14 NPIS items on SOC-13 sum score, the possible effects of the NPIS (sum score) on SOC-13 (sum score) as well as on the subdimensions of SOC-13, comprehensibility, meaningfulness, and manageability (both without and with adjusting for sex and age). Results: Four of the 14 NPIS items revealed highly significant correlations with SOC-13 (sum score; unadjusted and adjusted for age and gender). Furthermore, the analysis adjusted for age and gender showed significant associations for NPIS (sum score) with SOC-13 (sum score), manageability, and comprehensibility. The correlation between NPIS and meaningfulness was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Nurse–patient interaction is significantly associated with SOC-13 and its subdimensions of comprehensibility and manageability but not meaningfulness. Nurse–patient interaction might be an important resource in relation to residents’ sense of coherence and its subdimensions.publishedVersio

Joy-of-life in cognitively intact nursing home patients : the impact of the nurse-patient interaction

Background The nursing‐home population is at a high risk of declined well‐being and quality of life. Finding approaches to increase well‐being among older adults in nursing‐homes is highly warranted. Responding to this need, the approach framed ‘Joy‐of‐Life‐Nursing‐Homes’ (JoLNH) was developed in Norway. Aim To investigate the association between nurse–patient interaction and joy‐of‐life in the nursing‐home population. Methods Cross‐sectional data were collected in 2017 and 2018 using the Nurse–Patient Interaction Scale and the Joy‐of‐Life Scale. A total of 204 cognitively intact nursing‐home residents met the inclusion criteria and 188 (92%) participated. A structural equation model (SEM) of the relationship between nurse–patient interaction and joy‐of‐life was tested by means of STATA/MP 15.1. Ethical approval was given and each participant provided voluntarily written informed consent. Results The SEM‐model yielded a good fit with the data (χ2 = 162.418, p = 0.004, df = 118, χ2/df = 1.38, RMSEA = 0.046, p‐close 0.652, CFI = 0.97, TLI = 0.96, and SRMR = 0.054). As hypothesised, nurse–patient interaction related significantly with joy‐of‐life (γ1,1 = 0.61, t = 7.07**). Limitations The cross‐sectional design does not allow for conclusions on causality. The fact that the researchers visited the participants to help fill in the questionnaire might have introduced some bias into the respondents’ reporting. Conclusion Relational qualities of the nurse–patient interaction should be essential integral aspects of nursing‐home care. Consequently, such qualities should be emphasised in clinical practice, and research and education should pay more attention to nurse–patient interaction as an important, integral part of the caring process promoting joy‐of‐life and thereby well‐being.publishedVersionUnit Licence Agreemen

Greenland Ice Sheet Surfaces Colonized by Microbial Communities Emit Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted by organisms for a range of physiological and ecological reasons. They play an important role in biosphere–atmosphere interactions and contribute to the formation of atmospheric secondary aerosols. The Greenland ice sheet is home to a variety of microbial communities, including highly abundant glacier ice algae, yet nothing is known about the VOCs emitted by glacial communities. For the first time, we present VOC emissions from supraglacial habitats colonized by active microbial communities on the southern Greenland ice sheet during July 2020. Emissions of C5–C30 compounds from bare ice, cryoconite holes, and red snow were collected using a push–pull chamber active sampling system. A total of 92 compounds were detected, yielding mean total VOC emission rates of 3.97 ± 0.70 μg m–2 h–1 from bare ice surfaces (n = 31), 1.63 ± 0.13 μg m–2 h–1 from cryoconite holes (n = 4), and 0.92 ± 0.08 μg m–2 h–1 from red snow (n = 2). No correlations were found between VOC emissions and ice surface algal counts, but a weak positive correlation (r = 0.43, p = 0.015, n = 31) between VOC emission rates from bare ice surfaces and incoming shortwave radiation was found. We propose that this may be due to the stress that high solar irradiance causes in bare ice microbial communities. Acetophenone, benzaldehyde, and phenylmaleic anhydride, all of which have reported antifungal activity, accounted for 51.1 ± 11.7% of emissions from bare ice surfaces, indicating a potential defense strategy against fungal infections. Greenland ice sheet microbial habitats are, hence, potential sources of VOCs that may play a role in supraglacial microbial interactions, as well as local atmospheric chemistry, and merit future research efforts

Despite symptom severity, do nursing home residents experience joy-of-life? The associations between joy-of-life and symptom severity in Norwegian nursing home residents

Background: Finding new approaches to increase health and well-being among nursing home (NH) residents is highly warranted. From a holistic perspective, several Norwegian municipalities have implemented the certification scheme framed “Joy-of-Life Nursing Home” Aims: In a holistic perspective on NH care, this study investigated if NH residents despite potential symptom severity experience joy-of-life (JoL). Therefore, we examined the frequency of common symptoms and the association between common symptoms and JoL in cognitively intact NH residents. Methods: A cross-sectional design was employed. Using the QLQ-C15–PAL quality-of-life questionnaire, hospital anxiety and depression scale, and JoL scale, a total of 188 cognitively intact NH residents participated. Results: Symptom severity was high; 54% reported fatigue, 52% reported constipation, 45% reported pain, 43% reported dyspnea, 32% reported insomnia, 22% reported appetite loss, and 20% reported nausea, while 20% reported anxiety and 23% reported depressive symptoms. Nevertheless, 59% of the NH residents reported high JoL, which was significantly positively related to the quality of life and negatively associated with anxiety and depression

Joy of life in nursing homes: A qualitative study of what constitutes the essence of joy of life in elderly individuals living in Norwegian nursing homes

Background: Finding new approaches to increase positive health and well-being of elderly individuals living in nursing homes (NH) is highly warranted. Several Norwegian municipalities have implemented the certification scheme framed ‘Joy of Life Nursing Home’ (JOLNH). JOLNH is based on a health-promoting perspective directing elderly individuals’ resources. Through health promotion, preventive and social activities across generations, NH care promotes respect, wellbeing, health and cultural experiences among elderly individuals. Aims: The aims of this study were to explore the phenomenon of Joy of life (JOL) among elderly individuals living in NHs and to provide a deeper understanding of which dimensions constitute JOL in this population. Methods: The present study explored the JOL phenomenon using qualitative methodology. Data were collected between December 2015 and May 2016 by individual qualitative research interviews of 29 elderly individuals who met the inclusion criteria. The informants were living in ten different NHs in two large municipalities in Norway. Prior approval was obtained from all regulatory institutions dealing with research issues and the management in both municipalities. Results: The results showed that (i) positive relations, (ii) a sense of belonging, (iii) sources of meaning, (iv) moments of feeling well, and (v) acceptance constituted the conceptualisation of the JOL phenomenon. Conclusion: The dimensions constituting the JOL concept correspond to the concepts of well-being and flourishing. Knowledge of the JOL phenomenon may help professionals to target elderly individuals’ health and wellbeing more precisely and thereby increase flourishing, JOL and well-being among them

Joy of life in nursing homes: A qualitative study of what constitutes the essence of joy of life in elderly individuals living in Norwegian nursing homes

Background: Finding new approaches to increase positive health and well-being of elderly individuals living in nursing homes (NH) is highly warranted. Several Norwegian municipalities have implemented the certification scheme framed ‘Joy of Life Nursing Home’ (JOLNH). JOLNH is based on a health-promoting perspective directing elderly individuals’ resources. Through health promotion, preventive and social activities across generations, NH care promotes respect, wellbeing, health and cultural experiences among elderly individuals. Aims: The aims of this study were to explore the phenomenon of Joy of life (JOL) among elderly individuals living in NHs and to provide a deeper understanding of which dimensions constitute JOL in this population. Methods: The present study explored the JOL phenomenon using qualitative methodology. Data were collected between December 2015 and May 2016 by individual qualitative research interviews of 29 elderly individuals who met the inclusion criteria. The informants were living in ten different NHs in two large municipalities in Norway. Prior approval was obtained from all regulatory institutions dealing with research issues and the management in both municipalities. Results: The results showed that (i) positive relations, (ii) a sense of belonging, (iii) sources of meaning, (iv) moments of feeling well, and (v) acceptance constituted the conceptualisation of the JOL phenomenon. Conclusion: The dimensions constituting the JOL concept correspond to the concepts of well-being and flourishing. Knowledge of the JOL phenomenon may help professionals to target elderly individuals’ health and wellbeing more precisely and thereby increase flourishing, JOL and well-being among them

Despite symptom severity, do nursing home residents experience joy-of-life? The associations between joy-of-life and symptom severity in Norwegian nursing home residents

Background: Finding new approaches to increase health and well-being among nursing home (NH) residents is highly warranted. From a holistic perspective, several Norwegian municipalities have implemented the certification scheme framed “Joy-of-Life Nursing Home” Aims: In a holistic perspective on NH care, this study investigated if NH residents despite potential symptom severity experience joy-of-life (JoL). Therefore, we examined the frequency of common symptoms and the association between common symptoms and JoL in cognitively intact NH residents. Methods: A cross-sectional design was employed. Using the QLQ-C15–PAL quality-of-life questionnaire, hospital anxiety and depression scale, and JoL scale, a total of 188 cognitively intact NH residents participated. Results: Symptom severity was high; 54% reported fatigue, 52% reported constipation, 45% reported pain, 43% reported dyspnea, 32% reported insomnia, 22% reported appetite loss, and 20% reported nausea, while 20% reported anxiety and 23% reported depressive symptoms. Nevertheless, 59% of the NH residents reported high JoL, which was significantly positively related to the quality of life and negatively associated with anxiety and depression

Associations between nurse–patient interaction and sense of coherence among cognitively intact nursing home residents

Aim: To investigate the association between nurse–patient interaction and sense of coherence among cognitively intact nursing home residents. Method: In a cross-sectional design, data were collected in 2017 and 2018 using the Nurse–Patient Interaction Scale (NPIS) and the 13-item Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC-13). Of the 204 cognitively intact nursing home residents who met the inclusion criteria, 188 (92%) participated, representing 27 nursing homes. Multiple regression in a general linear model estimated the possible effects of the 14 NPIS items on SOC-13 sum score, the possible effects of the NPIS (sum score) on SOC-13 (sum score) as well as on the subdimensions of SOC-13, comprehensibility, meaningfulness, and manageability (both without and with adjusting for sex and age). Results: Four of the 14 NPIS items revealed highly significant correlations with SOC-13 (sum score; unadjusted and adjusted for age and gender). Furthermore, the analysis adjusted for age and gender showed significant associations for NPIS (sum score) with SOC-13 (sum score), manageability, and comprehensibility. The correlation between NPIS and meaningfulness was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Nurse–patient interaction is significantly associated with SOC-13 and its subdimensions of comprehensibility and manageability but not meaningfulness. Nurse–patient interaction might be an important resource in relation to residents’ sense of coherence and its subdimensions